


Aftermath

by 00psSwanQueen



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Fluff is my weakness, I Will Go Down With This Ship, KorraXLin Beifong, Lin Is A Big Softy, LinXKorra, Linorra - Freeform, There is not enough Linorra in the world, fluffy cuteness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-01
Updated: 2020-06-01
Packaged: 2021-03-02 22:07:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,340
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24484006
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/00psSwanQueen/pseuds/00psSwanQueen
Summary: After Lin and Suyin’s fight, Korra goes to check on Lin. Confessions happen, and Korra sees Lin in a new light.
Relationships: Lin Beifong & Korra, Lin Beifong/Korra
Comments: 14
Kudos: 164





	Aftermath

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so there is so not enough of this ship like anywhere. So when I Can’t find what I want, I create it. I may or may not continue this story arch or I might just throw up a new adventure for these two. But this little one-shot came to me while I was rewatching Korra and I just couldn’t get it out if my head. This is my first Linorra fic so please be kind. I hope you like it.

“You knock.” 

“Oh hell no, you knock, you work with her!” 

Mako and Bolin argued back and forth on who was going to check up of the Chief. 

“I’ve got it!” Bolin exclaimed. “Korra, you knock. You’re the Avatar, it’s your duty to save people and care about them and stuff.” The earthbender smiled nervously as Korra rolled her eyes. 

“Guys, let’s just let Beifong rest. She had a hell of a night. Go back to your guest house. I’ll check on Chief CrankyPants in a few hours.” Korra rolled her eyes as Mako grabbed Bolin’s collar and drug him away from Lin’s guest house. She sighed and looked at the door with guilt. Lin had told her that she didn’t want to come to Zaofu. But Korra had to come collect the newest member of the air nation. If only Lin had told her that Suyin was her sister, maybe Korra could have helped in some way.

Korra paced outside Lin’s guest house for what seemed like hours before the door slammed open. The water tribe girl jumped and spun around to come face to face with a tired looking Lin. 

Lin leaned against the door frame rubbing her temples with a grimace set on her face. “For the love of the spirits, would you stop pacing right outside my house!” Lin growled and turned away from the door, leaving it open.

“Ch-Chief, I’m sorry. I was just worried about you. When Mako and I brought you back here, you weren’t looking so good and you’ve slept for a good sixteen hours.” Korra took small steps up to the door before hesitating to enter the small home.

Lin looked over her shoulder at the nervous Avatar. “Get in here and shut that door. You’re letting the warm air out.” Lin grumbled and limped to the kitchen. She turned the small stove on and placed a kettle on the flame. “Tea?” 

Korra entered the small space slowly and shut the door behind her. She hesitated sitting on one of the plush chair in case Lin wanted to toss her out. Hearing Lin ask her a question, she turned to face the woman and nodded. “Yes please.” 

“So you do have some manners.” Lin grumbled to herself as she reached above herself for two cups. As she reached up, her abdomen muscles screamed at her and she winced back down.

Korra heard the sharp intake of breath and rushed to Lin’s aid. “Let me.” She offered.

Lin jammed her elbow into Korra’s ribs with a grunt. “I can do it myself!” She bit out and wince again as she reached for the cups. 

Korra stepped back and rubbed her side where Lin had jabbed her. “I was just trying to help, Chief CrankyPants.” The Avatar mumbled. Korra turned around to take in the house with more detail. She noticed the fire was dimming and the draft coming through the windows caused Lin to break out in goosebumps. Korra walked over to the hearth and threw a small fireball to ignite the flames before they completely went out.

“Thanks.” Lin said under her breath and shoved a cup of tea into the young bender’s hand. The grey haired woman sat slowly on one of the plush chairs and sighed as she took a careful sip from her cup. “What were you doing pacing like a deranged animal outside my house?”

Korra took a small sip from her tea before she answered the Chief. “Mako, Bolin and I were worried about you. They kept saying that one of us needed to check up on you because you’d been asleep for a while.” Korra turned to face the woman and studied her a bit. “Are you okay?”

Lin knitted her eyebrows together and grimaced as she took another sip of her tea. “I’m fine.” She nearly growled.

Korra wasn’t convinced. She studied the Chief’s face and her body language. She knew there was something on Lin’s mind. “Chief-“

“Lin.” The grey haired woman interrupted the Avatar. “Just call me Lin.”

Korra sighed and took a seat across from the Chief. “Lin,” She began again. “I can tell you’re not fine. What’s wrong?”

Lin studied her cup of tea as if it held the answers to the universe in it. She knew she could trust Korra. She and Korra had been through a lot together. The Avatar had restored her bending went Amon took it from her. She had saved Korra on many occasions and vise versa. Lin placed her cup on the endtable next to her and sighed. “You’re right, I’m not okay.” She stood and limped her way to the window by the door. She opened a box on the window’s edge and pulled out a fresh cigar. Clipping the ends, she searched for her lighter and sighed when she couldn’t find it.

Korra abandoned her tea on the table next to Lin’s and walked over to the frustrated woman. She flicked her pinky and the tip of it lit up with a small flame. Lin grabbed Korra’s wrist and lit her cigar before she blew the smoke out the window. 

Korra watched Lin’s back muscles flex as she straightened herself. Korra admired the strong woman before her. She was fierce and stubborn, just like herself. But Lin had many demons that haunted her everyday. Korra could see it in her eyes when the Chief thought no one was looking. But Korra was always looking at the Chief. 

“Did I ever tell you how I got the scars on my face?” Lin spoke as she looked out the window.

Korra startled a bit but regained her composure quickly. “I assumed you got them on the job.”

Lin reached up and brushed her fingers over the deep scars. “You’re half right.” She sighed, closing her eyes as the memory flooded back for the second time. 

Korra took a step forward and placed a gentle hand on Lin’s strong shoulder. “You don’t have to tell me.” She whispered. Korra longed to pull Lin into her arms and never let another thing harm her. That woman had seen too much and had been through hell and back so many times, Korra was convinced she had a season pass to the place. 

Lin took a long drag from her cigar and blew the smoke out of her nose. “I know I don’t have to do anything. I just feel like you should know.” She placed her free hand on Korra’s hand that was resting on her shoulder. “I was on the job. I was a young beat cop. My duty was on the streets, dragging thugs and criminals in to fill the cells.” Lin ashed her cigar out the window as the memory overtook her senses. “I got a call through the radio about a couple of guys from the Triple Threats that robbed a small shop. I raced off to find the guys climbing into a car. The chase wasn’t a long one. I bent the road and flipped the car. The two idiots came tumbling out, ready to bolt when the driver emerged.” Lin closed her eyes and took a deep breath. 

“Lin, it’s okay.” Korra pleaded, seeing that the memory was taking a toll on the woman. She gave her shoulder a supportive squeeze but Lin ignored her and went on with her tale. 

“It was Su. She yelled at me for trashing her friend’s ride and said that she wasn’t involved with the actual crime. That she was just repaying a favor by driving the car. She tried to walk off but I caught her wrist with my metal wires. She got pissed and sliced through it, causing it to snap back at me and scar me. I never saw her again after that. Mom made her leave Republic City because she couldn’t sweep the crap under the rug. Su got away scott free and I was left with haunting glances and two unforgettable scars that reminded me everyday who our mother favored more.” Lin took another deep drag from the cigar and gripped Korra’s hand harder. “Mother never apologized for what she did and Su claims to have put it all behind her, but mother came to visit her and never me. They invited me to Zaofu, but I knew if I came, Su and I would fight and nobody would be on my side.” Lin let Korra’s hand go and put the cigar out on the window’s ledge. She shook Korra’s hand off her shoulder and walked to the kitchen. 

Korra turned and followed the woman. “Lin, I wish I knew what to say. But there’s nothing I can say to make it all better. I can’t even say I understand how you feel because I would be lying. But right here, right now, you do have someone on your side. Me.” Korra placed her hand on Lin’s back between her shoulder blades and her other hand on Lin’s waist. “I’m here for you. I always will be.” 

Lin bit her lip as a tear rolled down her flushed cheek. She hated that her mother always favored Suyin over her. She did everything to please her mother. She followed in her footsteps and became Chief. But her mother didn’t come to her badge ceremony. She didn’t even write her back when Lin would send her letters or newspaper clippings of her lasted busts. And it hurt Lin more that she could ever express. The tears began to fall faster. Her shoulders began to shake as she broke down. 

Korra couldn’t hold back any longer. She carefully turned Lin around and wrapped her arms around the sobbing woman. She cradled the back of her head as Lin buried her face in the crook of Korra’s neck. The waterbender rubbed soothing circles on the Chief’s back and let her cry. Korra had never seen Lin break down. Not even when Amon took her bending or when she was beaten to a bloody pulp. Lin always remained strong and in control. And perhaps that strength was also her biggest weakness. 

“I’m here, Lin. I’ll never leave.” Korra felt her own tears gather in her eyes as she held the shaking woman. “I…” Korra’s words caught in her throat. She pulled back from Lin and cupped her face gently. She wiped a few stray tears way from her cheek before she leaned in and connected their lips in a sweet, short kiss. 

Lin pulled away from the kiss slowly. She searched the Avatar’s eyes for signs of betrayal. She kept her hands on Korra waist as she leaned back in for another kiss.

Korra melted into the second kiss. She wrapped her arms loosely around Lin’s neck as she allowed her tongue to slip passed Lin’s thin lips. After a moment, the two separated for air. Korra was left breathing hard as she looked deep into the Chief’s emerald eyes. 

“Lin, I…I have feelings for you.” Korra whispered.

Lin cupped Korra’s cheek and looked down. “I know. I feel your heart race every time you come within six feet of me. At first I thought it was Mako. But I started feeling it even when he wasn’t present.” She sighed. “Korra, I’m flattered and I feel the same…but I’m old.” Lin untangled herself from Korra and faced the kitchen’s sink, leaning against it.

Korra felt tears gather faster in her eyes. “Lin, don’t. You’re not old.”

“Korra, I’m 52. You’re only 18. I’m old enough to be your mother. Or actually, your grandmother.” She sighed.

Korra stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Lin from behind. She pressed a kiss to Lin’s back, between her shoulder blades. “I’m an adult. I’m the Avatar. I’m way older than you. Don’t push me away.” Korra begged.

Lin rested her hand on Korra’s around her stomach. “You’d really want this old badgermole?” 

Korra chuckled a bit through her tears. “Yes. And you’re not old. You’re perfect the way you are. Chief Badgermole.” She pressed a kiss to the side of Lin’s neck and nuzzled her nose there.

Lin took a deep breath and turned in Korra’s arms. “Are you sure?” 

Korra leaned into the Chief and pressed her lips to Lin’s own in a passionate kiss. When she pulled away, she looked the grey haired woman in the eyes and smiled. “Does that answer your question?”

Lin rubbed their noses together and, for the first time in a long while, smiled. “Yes.” She back up enough to meet Korra’s gaze. “Would you like to spend the rest of the night here? It’s cold and for someone who’s from Republic City, I’m not used to it. I could use some heat.”

Korra chuckled again and shook her head. “I never took you for much of a cuddler.” 

Lin tapped Korra’s nose with her index finger and shook her head. “There’s a lot you don’t know about me.” 

“I would love to learn everything you’d be willing to show me.” Korra smiled.

“Let’s get to bed then. We have a hell of a day ahead of us. I don’t know how you’re walking around in just that tank top and pants without being cold.” Lin shivered and walked to her bedroom, keeping Korra’s fingers laced with her own. 

“I’m from the Southern Water Tribe. It gets ten times colder over there.” 

“Well then, my little penguin, you’ll have to help me warm these old bones.” 

Korra swatted Lin’s arm playfully. “You’re not old.” Korra pouted.

Lin rolled her eyes and drew back the covers. She climbed into the bed and beckoned the waterbender to do the same. 

Korra kicked off her boots and shook her pants off. She untied her hair and slipped into the bed next to Lin.

Lin wrapped her arms around the young Avatar and buried her face in the crook of her neck.

Korra cradled the back of Lin’s head and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Goodnight, my badgermole.”

“Goodnight, my little penguin.”


End file.
